Bite Into These Business Skills

According to a veteran chief executive, Terry H. Hill over at business.com, “Over half of new businesses fail mainly because the entrepreneur is unable to translate their passion into practical business skills. Success demands more than hard work, resilience, and expertise in your field. In order to succeed, you need to understand and to become proficient in a set of fundamental business skills.”

It’s a good thing life-long learning is baked into the DNA of the entrepreneur! With homage to HubSpot, and as a business coach who has worked next to small business owners, allow me to present the vital business skills you want to learn … no teeth gritting required.

1. Strategic Thinking

As entrepreneurs, it’s not wise to be operationally busy every waking moment of the day.

Escaping your daily routine for a bout of thinking strategically changes your perspective. It permits you to see your business in a different light. It presents new insights that shape your decisions and give you a “leg up” in your business.

The insights gained while thinking strategically help identify goals and formulate plans that give shape to your vision. Rather than “shoot from the hip,” planning proficiency makes resource allocation a dream.

2. Goal Setting

Closely aligned with your strategic thinking and planning is your ability to set the kind of clear, audacious goals that move your business forward. After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Although it sounds simple, setting and achieving goals is not as easy as one would believe. Selecting the right goals, identifing the precise tactics to make those goals happen, and setting up your lead and lag measures challenge the most ardent performer.

Is it doable? Absolutely!

3. Marketing

Yikes! Where do we begin to define and develop effective marketing skills, especially in this mad, mad, mad business environment. This is a great place to consider outsourcing to the experts given the vast amount of information and skill needed to market for results.

Outsourcing doesn’t leave you off the learning hook, however. It’s important to glean a basic understanding of marketing to make sure you hire the right vendors.

Gone are the days of the obnoxious used car sales approach. Thank goodness!

5. Organizing

Does this sound like you need a professional organizer? Perhaps you do but these are the kind of organizational skills that go beyond having things in neat little piles.

Acquiring the ability to master prioritization, productivity, and performance ensures you’re functioning – and focusing – on what matters most.

6. Learning

Ready for Class?

Thanks to advancements in technology, accessibility to acquiring essential business skills has never been easier. Although institutions of higher learning are catching up to teaching the entrepreneurial skillset, it’s still lacks relevancy for today’s modern world. Just ask Elon Musk!

In the meantime, you can bone up on your skills through several – if not all – of these methods. After all, school is never out for the pro.

If you have a chance to read HubSpot’s blog, you may find a few more skills that aren’t covered here. Alas, I’d rather master strategic thinking than Excel documentation. (That’s what my virtual assistant is for.)